Desperate Considerations
by Embrathiel
Summary: One-shot. In a panic after being forced to hear his Valentine's Day poem sung aloud before half the school, Harry hurries to consult the one friend who he believes is a master of all things girl. The discussion with Hermione does not go as he had initially planned, much like everything else in his second year at Hogwarts.


Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling.

Desperate Considerations

By:

Embrathiel

His eyes are as green as a fresh-pickled toad.

Harry ran through the halls of Hogwarts, the dreaded words of the cupid's poem haunting his every step.

His hair is as dark as a blackboard.

Judging by how Ginny had reacted, running from the scene of his embarrassment, Harry presumed she was very likely the culprit.

I wish he was mine.

Everyone had been staring at him, laughing. Yeah, he was used to attention, especially unwanted attention, but this had been a bit much.

He's truly divine.

Harry was only twelve, he wasn't supposed to have to be worrying about girls and poems and romance just yet, right?

The hero who conquered the dark lord.

The last thing he needed was for the school to think he was being all flirty and girl obsessed. Well, thankfully he had someone who was an expert in girl things. And, okay, maybe there were worse things than the entire school laughing at him for a Valentine's Day poem, but right now, it was hard to imagine anything else so painful. Finally he spotted the bushy mane of brown curls and lunged forward to grab Hermione's elbow.

"Hey, I need your help."

Hermione twisted around to look at him and glared. "We have to get to charms Harry, can't it wait?"

"Uh, yeah, but no, please, it'll just take a minute."

Hermione sighed and pointed to an unused classroom nearby. "That one should be empty."

"Thanks." Harry hurried forward and yanked open the door. She followed him in but just as he reached to close the door, Ron came out of the bustling crowd of students.

"Hey, what's..."

"Sorry Ron, we'll be there in a minute, I just need Hermione's help with something." Harry didn't wait for his response and shoved the door closed.

"Alright then, what's got you in a tizzy?"

He turned to face one of his best friends, then realized he had no idea what to say now that he had her here. Somehow saying, I need your help scaring off girls, didn't seem right.

"Er."

"So you dragged me in here to say er?"

"Yeah, well."

She huffed and dropped her books on the nearest desk, turning back to him with her hands on her hips. "Well the longer you wait the better of an explanation you're going to need to give professor Flitwick. So get on with it."

"Well, uh," yeah, this was why girls terrified him. "You didn't by any chance write that poem did you?"

Her cheeks reddened just slightly. "What poem? You know I don't write poetry."

Harry recited it then explained, "One of those cupids just flattened me on the floor in front of half the school and sang it to me."

She was blushing now and trying not to giggle. He glared at her which didn't seem to help. "Well, no, why would you think it was me, I'd have done better than..." she gestured vaguely.

"Oh, er." Now his cheeks were burning and if he wasn't blushing then it would be a miracle. "Okay. But why would it have been better exactly?"

"Well, I... Fine, there's many other positive attributes one could point out about you, and many better ways to say them than, that."

Now they were just plain avoiding each others' gazes. Merlin this was even more awkward, how did he always make situations worse by trying to make them better?

"Oh, okay." Yeah, and he was supposed to know what to say now? "I wish she hadn't sent it."

"Uh, who?"

"I think it was Ginny. She kind of blushed and ran off when I heard it."

"Oh."

"I kind of wish..." Oops, now that was really going to get awkward.

"Wish what?"

"Well, er, I don't know. Maybe we should get to class."

"Now you're all eager to go to class? We're already late, just tell me what the problem is. You wish what?"

Harry's hands were sweating. He tried to wipe them off on his robes but didn't want to make the gesture so obvious. What was he supposed to do with this?

"Well, it might have been better if you had, er, sent it."

"Oh, um, why, why's that?"

The world really did hate him didn't it?

"It, er, wouldn't have made me panic, I guess. Uh, shouldn't we go to class now?"

Hermione ignored the question. "Wait, why wouldn't you have panicked if I'd sent you a poem?"

"Well, I know you better I guess. I mean, I'd probably have been, okay with it, I don't know."

"Oh?"

Why did she have to keep asking these questions, his face was burning and he couldn't even look at her.

"Yeah, uh. If I had to have a girl after me, I'd rather it be you. It's not really a question now is it?" With the words out, Harry covered his face, appalled at the realization of what he'd just said. Yes it was true, but he hadn't really been focusing on girls. Hermione being interested in him wouldn't be the end of the world, it might even be, nice. They knew each other really well already, so why not? It was better than Ginny who wouldn't even talk to him.

"Well, if I'm being honest, it had crossed my mind, but I didn't want to make things awkward."

His hands fell away in shock and Harry stared at her. "What?"

"Well, we've been friends for a while, and we get along rather well. But, I didn't want to make things awkward, so I figured I'd just, let it go, I suppose."

"Let it go?"

"I didn't want to lose you as a friend, so I figured that I wouldn't say anything. I don't, I don't really know what I feel, but then again we are twelve and thirteen, hardly supposed to understand these things properly. But there's no reason we couldn't figure it out. It isn't as if we have to try though, but it might help out with the Ginny thing, and, if there was anyone in the school, I'd, well I'd prefer to have it be you."

"Er."

"You know, you're the one who dragged me in here, aren't you supposed to be doing the talking?"

"Yeah but. I didn't expect it to go this way."

"Do you want to try dating me or not?"

"Um." Not only was this happening way too fast, but Harry was just plain confused. "Yeah, yeah why not." He cleared his throat and tried to stand taller. "Er, Hermione, would, er, would you be my Valentine?"

"Yes, I will."

"That's uh, good then." They stood there looking at each other and Harry realized he was probably supposed to say or do something. "Er, well I don't exactly have anything prepared and I don't know what I'm doing really."

"It's not like I'm any better off you know. Being a girl doesn't come with a genetic knowledge base of how to start these things."

"Oh." Harry hadn't considered that. Girls kind of just always seemed to know what they were doing.

She sighed. "How about this; we enjoy being around each other right?"

"Yeah."

"We kind of, like, each other right?"

"Er, yeah."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, then we don't exactly have to do anything different now do we. We're both aware of it now so if we feel something, or want to say something we can without worrying if the other person will feel the same."

"Right."

"Let's just start with something simple then like walking to class together."

"Er, okay. Good plan." Harry was in way over his head.

She went to pick up her stack of books, but Harry hurried forward and scooped them up.

"You carry these all day, really?"

"Yes."

"well, they're really heavy. Maybe I can help with that eh?"

She smiled at him, a simple smile with her head slightly turned down as if she wasn't sure if she should make eye contact with him at the same time.

"I'd like that."

Harry held out his elbow. "Well then, want to walk with me to charms class m'lady?"

This time she did smile up at him, sliding her arm through his. A second later, her trembling hand brushed against his own and Harry realized he wasn't the only nervous one.

"I would love to accompany you to class, good sir."

So they left the room, Harry struggling under the weight of both their books and grinning like a loon, Hermione blushing and smiling at the ground. They were half way to class before she pulled him to a stop, biting her lower lip in thought.

"What's up?"

"Well, I..." In a swift motion, Hermione took the books out of his arms and managed to hook hers back through his. "It's not all about you carrying my books for me you know. It's nice, I really appreciate it. But, we're trying this together right?"

"Yeah."

"So, if we already like, each other then why don't we keep being ourselves and just, stay, closer, or something."

"Her face was bright red, the hand that rested against his as it gripped the stack of books still trembling. He was pretty sure it wasn't from the books being heavy.

Harry squeezed her arm a little closer to his body and smiled. "I could work with that."

They walked a little further before she said, "Besides, the brave knight has to be able to draw his sword to fend off the monsters, doesn't he?"

"Monsters and evil poem writing vampires who want to steal the fair maiden away."

"Fair..." The word trailed off sounding confused.

"Yeah, that's you, the fair maiden."

"But, well, I'm not..."

"As far as I'm concerned, you more than fit the part. Now, let's get you to class before I have to fight anyone off."

"Er, okay."

"Hey, um, you said you would have written the poem better. What would you have said?"

"Oh well, I kind of threw it out already so I don't..."

"Wait, so you already wrote one? I thought you said you didn't write poems?"

"No, I meant..."

Harry grinned, something about seeing Hermione blushing and flustered just seemed, adorable. Yeah, he could work with this. Maybe sometimes being in over your head could be a good thing.

**DC**

Author's Note:

Thank you all for reading. Teenagers are adorable aren't they? The only problem is that if you consider actual language patterns, then you get stuck adding in about a hundred commas and lots of repetitive language. Hopefully that does not reflect poorly on the story, I simply wanted to make it as realistically awkward as it should be. I just love these two together.

Elise


End file.
